Many bands or record labels write little messages that get pressed into the matrix (or run off groove) close to the center label of their vinyl records. This phenomena, which can sometimes be very hard to see without a bright light, is specific to records and sometimes only certain pressings of a title. Many bands use this as a playful creative space - sometimes for little inside jokes - and a lot of listeners have no idea that these messages are hiding on records they may listen to hundreds of times. I started this collection by asking people on two internet music discussion forums to go through their records and look for these messages (only some records have them). I also noted messages from some records in my own collection. There is a marked emphasis on underground and independent music including punk and metal, but some more mainstream artists appear as well. Only the sides of records with messages are listed.

Thanks to PJM, Maisie James, Paul, Sebastian, Rocky Mullin, Morten Steiniche, Justin Schwier, David Nankervis, Dylan Cariello, Jim Nardea, Tom Rafferty, Andy Towell, and many posters on various internet forums for all of their contributions. Here are the results of our collective efforts. If you have found some on your own, please email them for inclusion: marc [at] publiccollectors [dot] org.

Hüsker Dü – “Zen Arcade” (SST Records)
Side A: "Falling, Shirley -- Every Time I Square Off Against Someone's God"
Side B: "I Spend The Rest Of The Night (Or Day) Hallucinating"
Side C: "And Now It's The Visions Of A Joyous Hell"
Side D: "Within The Circuits That Make Pac-Men Die And Vessels Disintigrate"

Hüsker Dü – “New Day Rising” (SST)
Side A: here in the midst of graveyards that push up light
Side B: i'll trade you two good shirleys for 10,000 dead midwestern indians

Marginal Man – "Identity" (Dischord)
Side A: I REMEMBER WHAT I FOGOT [crossed out] FORGOT
Side B: - I SEE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Meat Puppets – “S/T”
Side A: Beware of Clevo
Side B: The looking glass was on strike but i saw thru it all

Meat Puppets – “Up On The Sun”
Side A: Avenging an Angel
Side B: Steps through, while my waking, waking, still waking

Minor Threat – “Out of Step” (Dischord)
Side A: Why did the punk cross the road?
Side B: Because Ian told him to.

The Minutemen – “What Makes A Man Start Fires?” (SST)
Side A: BONES - THE LIST... THE LIST IN THE DREAM? (OF ECHOS)
Side B: ...AND THE GUESTS CAME IN THROUGH LITTLE FUNNELS – DRIPPING

The Minutemen – “Double Nickles On The Dime” (SST Records)
Side A: "Arena Rock Is The New Wave"
Side B: "Punk Rock Is The New Nostalgia"
Side C: "Dance Rock Is The New Pasture"
Side D: "Chump Rock Is The New Cool"

Misery Index - "Discordia" (Relapse)
Side A: Paid For By Bush 08
Side B: Approved By The GOP

Sonic Youth – "Daydream Nation" 2LP (Enigma/Blast First)
Side A: Rock and Roll For President
Side B: Star Strangled Bangles
Side C: Destroy All Record Labels, Part 2 - High, End
Side D: No Sleep Til Rhino

Thee Speaking Canaries – “Songs for the Terrestrially Challenged” Mind Cure
Side A: Sometimes Yummy would come up to you and ask for 50¢
Side B: and when you'd give it to him
Side C: if he could tell you were scared
Side D: he'd ask you for another 50¢

Titan - “Raining Sun of Light…” (Tee Pee)
Side A: “Fruit of the salad”
Side B: “Johnny Tony was here”

Turbonegro – “Don’t Say Motherfucker” 7” (Sympathy For The Record Industry)
Side A: All the young apocalypse dudes
Side B: Love it to death punk!

Vampyros Lesbros – “Sexadelic Dance Party” (Motel Records)
Side A: If your parents don’t like the music you listen to…
Side B: Turn up the volume

Various Artists – "Asides & Besides: The First Five Years" 2LP Red Eye Records (1990)
Side A: HOW DO YOU KEEP A MOSSY FAN BUSY?.....(OVER)
Side B: HOW DO YOU KEEP A MOSSY FAN BUSY?.....(OVER)
Side C: LIVE STOCK!
Side D: BYE BYE B SIDES.....

Various Artists –"P.E.A.C.E." (RRadical)
Side A: "WHAT WE WANT IS FREE" "DO IT NOW"
Side B: "THIS MOMENT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE IN YOUR LIFE TIME"
Side C: NO POISON WEAPONS OR WAR ITS LIFE OR DEATH
Side D:THINK GLOBALLY ACT LOCALLY BEFORE ITS TOO LATE

Various Artists – "The Thing That Ate Floyd" (Lookout)
Side A: SANTA IS MY MASTER
Side B: WHEN WILL D.C. PHOTOGRAPHERS LEARN TO FOCUS?
Side C: SPONSORED BY THE SEWER BRAÜ ROCK NETWORK
Side D: ÜBER ALLES? CALIFORNIA?

Various Artists – "Welcome to 1984" (MAXIMUMROCKNROLL) (reissue)
Side A: WHO CONTROLS THE PAST CONTROLS THE FUTURE, WHO CONTROLS THE PRESENT CONTROLS THE PAST
Side B: FUCK YOU "APOLITICAL" WIMPS

Velcro Lewis – “Ruin Everything”
Side A: 'to leslie west - from woodstock to no headstock'
Side B: 'tougher than tits on a viper'